Bound by One
by Keithan
Summary: Arwen and Legolas have a conversation one night. They were both bound to their own destiny and yet their destinies entwined for they loved the same person. [mild al slash]


There are a few additions and revisions to this fic, hopefully for the better, even how little and minor those additions were. 

**~Keithan~  
_07 November 2003_**

**_______________________________________________**

**Title: **_Bound by One  
_**Author: **Keithan  
**Disclaimers:** Lord of the Rings and its characters belongs to their respective owners.  
**Rating:** PG  
**Series: **1/1  
**Warnings: **This fic contains some themes that might be offensive to some. It contains hints of slash, which is, in this case, love for the same gender. Please proceed with caution. I do not, in any way, wish to taint Aragorn and Arwen's love as it was written by Tolkien, so I do not even try to highlight and give emphasis on that.   
**Summary:** They were both bound to their own destiny and yet their destinies entwined for they loved the same person. Two Elves spend a moment alone and find themselves bound by one man.   
**Notes:** *single quotations are Elvish, but since all lines are spoken in Elvish, I used single quotations all throughout. And no, this is _not_ a sequel to any previous story, it stands alone.

**_______________________________________________**

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**BOUND BY ONE__________  
**_by Keithan_****

The night air was cool; it was refreshing to say the least. The creatures of the woods lay silent this night. Even the wind was hushed in its blowing.

A fellowship of nine was bound to leave in the morn, with the rising of the sun. And all of Imladris lay silent in honor of its departure. For it was a quest that carried the fate of all Middle Earth. It was in its heart that their victory lies.

Soundless steps as he walked through the trees of the land.

Searching for answers to questions he knew not exactly what.

What would he find?

What would the forest, the trees and nature give him?

Naught. Neither answers nor clear thought. Naught, but comfort. And so he continued, welcoming the comfort the serene land brought, gathering strength from the forests' well of power.

Rest he could not, though rest he was advised to do so. He needed it not. He was a child of the forest and rest was no urgency unless he was in critical condition. But needless to say, he considered himself well rested, for he felt no fatigue whatsoever.

What he needed was strength.

Strength to face the peril he ought to be faced with.

Strength that he may not despair.

Strength to be able to resist the evil call of the One.

And strength...

...that he may not let his heart free to express its feelings, for it would bring not only pain but utter suffering.

Although, deny it if he would, pain was what he was already experiencing. Pain and grief. To hold the heart and deprive it of its desires caused him suffering for his heart calls for another, and yet all he could do was silence its voice and harken not to its plea. 

He was not meant to love such person whose fate was written even before he was born. He had no place in the future of such love. It was his fate.

But what more could he do?

What if his heart he could no longer hold?

_What then?_

Soundless steps as she walked through the trees of her home.

Seeking out the one person she knew she must speak with, the one person that would make her beloved happy, and by doing so, would bring her peace and happiness as well.

Happiness for his happiness.

It was her fate. 

To give her heart to another that has no heart to give for it was already being held by someone else. 

No less than she, maybe even greater.

She knew from the very start, and yet she could not hold her heart back, she thought herself too weak to do so. Too weak to even prevent herself from getting in the way of one great love between two beings. A love so sacred it made her weep to just have a glimpse of it.

She had loved him even before meeting him, for she was bound to such unalterable fate as he was bound to love her, but also love someone else much more.

Given a choice, she would not have parted with such cruel fate. For even in just loving such great person brought her happiness and contentment.

She could not ask for more. She had his love, albeit it was not as she herself had given.

Her steps halted.

The wind blew.

She looked up to the glade before her, knowing her search has ended.

There, in the white rocks in the middle of the clear space in the trees sat an Elf, golden hair being once in a while lifted by the hands of the wind. His form was graciously bathed in moonlight.

She smiled. It was impossible for one not to love this creature, and she understood the choice of her beloved's heart. 

_A choice that had been made even before he had met her._

She entered the glade soundlessly, leaving the cover of the trees.

The Elf, disturbed by such slight movement, turned around and upon seeing her there, was surprised. His heart had beat faster. It took a moment for him to react. He immediately stood up, still full of grace, from where he sat to give her the respect she deserved.

Bowing slightly, eyes avoiding hers, he said in their native tongue, 'Lady Arwen, what honor have I received to have you now in my presence?'

She laughed softly, making her way closer to him, her gown flowing as she moved. 'Nonsense, Legolas Thranduilion. `Tis my honor to be here.' She answered, lifting her gown slightly in her sides and giving a graceful curtsy.

Such was the way between two nobilities, especially one that was royalty.

'What are you doing here this time of the night, my Lady? Have you no plans to rest?' He asked, unsure of what to say. He could think of only one thing that would have her in his presence right now and it was about her betrothed. And that did not rest well with him. He then felt uneasy.

_Did she know?_

'I would have asked you the same thing, Prince Legloas, after all, `tis you that is to set out tomorrow morn, not I.' She answered, and at this, her voice, which was soft and melodious, fell, for she could not hide the sadness at being parted from her beloved.

At the mention of the quest, and in hearing her tone, he looked down, his chest tightening slightly as his grief had made itself known once more.

There he was, faced with the one being that has every right to claim the person that his heart had been beating for as hers. 

_Did she know of his feelings?_

Silence befell the two Elves. Neither one spoke for no words seemed to be appropriate. He looked up to her, meeting her searching gaze once more and upon doing so, he felt he could not look at anywhere else for she seemed to hold his gaze with some unknown force that he could not look away.

_What would she think if she knew of his feelings to her beloved?_

Her gaze was searching within his soul. He feared for her reaction if she found something in his eyes that would give his heart away. And yet he did nothing to conceal anything that he was feeling at the moment. If he could not be honest to himself, then at least he might be honest to her. Let her know of his feelings. At that moment, as he stood before her, he stood not in the shadows but in the light, not in hiding but in plain sight, most of all, not in shame but with humble pride and noble dignity.

_Eyes locked in silent communication. _

There, that night, the concealed was revealed, and a marvel it was to her who had seen it and even felt it. She raised her hands to her bosom, taken aback by the intensity of emotions of such depth that she could not even begin to fathom in his eyes, just as the love of her betrothed to this Elf was not something she could fully grasp. 

Indeed, no words were needed.

Her eyes softened and understanding seemed to pass between the two of them.

'Too long have I wished to look into the depths of thine eyes, my Prince.' Her voice, soft and gentle, seemed content. She smiled at him. 'And now in doing so, thou hast given me some measure of peace.'

He shook his head. 'Trust me, my Lady, when I say I do not wish...'

'Hush, Son of Thranduil, I understand. You do not have to speak.' Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and it did not escape his notice.

It pained him more to see such tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. He looked away, for he could not bear his guilt. Tears also started to gather in his eyes. He did not wish to bring any pain to others, especially to her and to her betrothed.  

'I am sorry, my Lady, I meant you no sadness.' He said softly, having every intention of ending the conversation that might lead to more hurts between the two of them. 'I would stop this heart of mine if I could, if only to alleviate any pain I might have inflicted upon you. I did not mean for this to happen.' 

'Of course you did not, as I did not mean to fall for him as well.' She shook her head and smiled. 'Do not speak of such things, Thranduilion. One does not simply stop the heart from beating, much less loving. It is its life. I do not wrong you for loving him, you have loved him long before I even met him. Mistake not my tears for sadness,' She stepped closer to him and brought her hands to the sides of his face that he may face her. 'Can you not see?'

He looked at her then, feeling her hands a little cold from the chill of the night in his face. 

'I am happy. These tears are not for sadness, but for joy.' She released his face and smiled reassuringly. 'I would weep now, if I were alone, but not for pain nor for sadness, not even for loss. Nay, I would weep for such pure love I have seen in your eyes tonight.'

He seemed confused, his brows knitted in question. 'I do not understand.'

'He loves you, Legolas, can you also not see that?' Dropping the formalities as it seemed to be called for this moment, she asked sincerely, not with an accusatory tone but with a tone that pleads to be understood.

He immediately looked away, and a single tear escaped from his eye, betraying him. So she knew. She knew of both their feelings now. 'I refuse to see it, my Lady, I refuse to see it.'

_Refuse to see such light that would blind him and would make him forget his place._

'See it, Legolas. Open your eyes and see!' She said, determined to bring him to accept such truth and rejoice of it.

_Rejoice of the love of the Son of Arathorn. _

'Nay, Lady, I would not!' he looked at her then, his eyes begging for her to stop. 'Please, do not ask me of such thing,' His voice pleading, he shook his head as he looked down.

'Why do you blind yourself of such love? Is it because of me?' She asked, but she waved any answer that he might have had. 'I loved him the moment we met, and I guess even before that. I loved him even if I knew that his heart already belongs to someone else.'

He looked up at that, question in his lips. But she did not let him interrupt.

'I brought this upon myself, Legolas.'

'Arwen...' He said, voice a mere rush of air from his lips, finally dropping the last walls of formality.

Silence was again present in their midst. They looked at each other.

_Both loving one person._

_Both hearts beating for the same being._

He sighed, and dropped his gaze. 'He had spoken to you of me?'

She shook her head. 'Nay, he did not.'

He frowned then in confusion, 'Then..why...?'

'He and I met some years past here in Imladris.' She walked pass him and sat on the white rocks that he had been previously occupying. 'I have a gift, not really of foresight, but being Galadriel's descendant, it is expected.'

He turned around to face her. This was the first time he had spoken to her as thus. He had been close friends with both her blood brothers, yet he had not had the chance of that to her since she had been staying in Lòrien for many years and he had not been traveling pass Mirkwood's borders for more than a century because of the growing shadow south of their realm.

'I knew then that, although he might have loved me that first time, his heart was already held by another. And I do not need to have a gift to see it. I know not it was you then. I knew it only now.' She then smiled when she saw that still, he did not understand how. 'One could clearly see if one knows where to look. Such love could not be hidden from me. It was only during these past months, where you and he are both here, that I knew it to be you.' Her face had grown wistful, the shadow of a smile in her lips. 'I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, and even feel it in his very presence.'

He did not speak. 

_What could he say?_

_What words would be right for the moment?_

She spoke for him instead, looking at him and piercing him with her gaze.

'You know this, yet you refuse to acknowledge it.'

'There is nothing to acknowledge.'

_To be in denial was the easiest escape._

'You deny such love?'

'No, I only wish that I knew it not.'

'But you do.'

_A pause, no answer left his lips._

_...then..._

'Aye, I do.'

_Although acceptance was still inevitable._

'You wish to see him suffer?'

'Nay! I wish him only his happiness...'

'Then why deny him of your love?'

_Yes, why?_

'It is best for him to not know of my feelings.'

She sighed and did not answer. She did what she could. She had started the turn of wheels that would continue or stop turning depending on his will. She was giving him a chance to be free and not be restrained by the chains he, himself, had placed upon himself.

The moon hid itself behind the clouds and a shadow seemed to cover the once brightly lit glade. The wind once again blew softly, rustling the leaves on the forest floor and those in the trees. 

He looked at her, as she sat there, unmoving, lost in the depths of her thoughts. She seemed to him a mythical character from a book, long lost and remembered only in verse. They stayed like that for a few more moments. No one spoke, no one moved. He felt tears sting his eyes, he knew not why.

And to any who might have seen, they seemed to be two lovers brought to life from a marvelous painting, bathed in moonlight in the beautiful glade, their hair, both dark and fair locks lifted by the wind and both unmoving, content with one another's presence. The picture was perfect, ethereal and almost surreal. But little would any who looked know that what they seem wasn't what they truly were.

She then stood up, passing a hand through her gown that it may follow unhindered. Walking closer to him, she said, 'You are stubborn, oh Prince, I only warn you that thy heart is as well. Its voice will not be silenced for long for such love could not be contained forever.' She smiled understandingly. 'I wish you, two, safe journey.' She paused then, bringing her eyes down briefly before raising them up again to meet his gaze. And in a soft voice, she said, 'Protect him, my Lord.'

He laid his right palm on his chest, just over his heart as he bowed his head fervently. 'You need not say it, my Lady. For I shall protect him with my life.'

'I know.' She reached out a hand and cradled his cheek. 'I wish the both of you happiness. Set your hearts free. I have spoken to him and told him thus. He was confused. I know he will understand in time.'

He covered her hand with his own as he looked sincerely into her smiling eyes filled with unshed tears. 'He will come back to you, my Lady. I will bring him back.' He paused before continuing, feeling the grief within him take hold of his heart with his next words. 'I will bring him back to you safe.'

She smiled sadly, feeling his pain and experiencing her own. 'Yes, I know you will... But his heart will forever remain yours. Make him happy.' With that, she leaned close and kissed his lips briefly in a way that spoke of a sacred covenant between two beings brought together by one person, one Man. And with that, she sealed the unspoken promise between them.

She then made her way back from where she came from, seemingly floating with the wind, leaving him behind as she had found him, as if nothing had happened.

Later in her room, tears were flowing down her face as, one by one, she blew out the candles that she may bask in the light of the moon alone. She smiled, content at the night's events. Movements slow and deliberate, as if performing a ritual, she then changed to her night clothes and climbed her bed.

And there she wept, not for pain, not for sadness, not for loss. She wept for being able to see the purity, feel the greatness of his love for her beloved, indeed it was a radiant light. 

And maybe, just maybe, she wept for herself as well.

_... for although she had his love, he had, not only his love, but his heart, his life and his entire being._

She prayed to the Valar that they may find their way to where they truly belong.

_... to each other._

Let their hearts see, listen and speak if ever they chose to be blind, deaf and mute.

She, on her part, would wait.

_Such was her fate._

He stood for a moment longer, unmoving, when she had left. Then silent tears that he had been holding back fell from his eyes. His knees had gone weak, and he slowly knelt on the soft grass on his feet.

Kneeling there, he just let his tears fall.

Tears that bespoke of his fear, his held back desire and love, and his thanks.

Aye, such love would not be encaged for long or his heart would burst of its intensity. When that happens, he knew not what to do.

He was weak and he needed strength. 

And strength he got, not only from the forest, but from such strong lady. She gave him strength.

Tomorrow another journey would start for him. A journey that encompasses not only trust, friendship, courage and love, but many others as well. It was another chapter of his life. And this time, he shared it with eight other companions. What would come out of it was not something that he could foresee, yet he was willing to find out.

With renewed strength, he welcomed the coming of the new day. He would not let his love hinder him in any way. It would be his strength in this journey. Although he knew pain and grief were not going to be absent, he would not let it dampen his hopes.

He would fulfill his promise, to the council, to the ringbearer, to himself... and to the Lady.

He would bring him back. He would bring him back to her safe.

_Such was his fate._

**_09.20.03_**

**Author's Notes:**

I hope this was not hard at all to understand, vague as it is with limited names and so much indirectness. I wrote this as a prologue to another fic, but became a story on its own. Gee, words do have life...   
As for my take on Aragorn and Arwen, as I've said before somewhere, their love is not something one could fully capture into words, so all that's written up there is a work of my imagination on Aragorn _and_ Legolas, not really Arwen. Now that's all cleared..well, that's it for now, thanks for reading!   
Hope you'd leave a review and tell me what you think. =) 

Thanks!  
  



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